My dot/don't waste your life/extreme home-makeover life...
Do you ever have those moments in life where you think, Is my life making a difference? Is it counting for the cross? When I die, will I look back on my life and see that I used it fully for the glory of God? It is a shattering fear to me to think that I could possibly "waste" my life. I'm a vapor, a mist, a dot . That is how long my life is in light of eternity... a dot. What will I do with this dot?
Do you ever watch the show "Extreme Home-Makeover" and are shocked by what some of these people have done with their lives and despite the circumstances that surround them they still give all of themselves for others???
I'm reading the book "Don't waste your Life" by John Piper and I can only get through one page without having to stop, re-read it, and mark the page profusely finding gold nuggets of truth. It inspires me to live this life for the now, for such a time as this. Even as Christians I think that we can so easily become distracted with what a "good Christian life/walk" can mean. On the way home from a retreat this fall the Lord spoke to my heart about this "dot" of mine. I found that I could let it fall into three categories.
Category # 1- Life life only for Me
This would mean that I would throw everything to the wind, do what I wanted to do, spend my time, money, energy, love on things that are carnal and selfish. Things that will fade and disappear when I die. Spend my energy on "getting ahead" financially and physically.
-This dream seems obviously sinful and not a good option. Any Christian would know not to choose this life.
Category # 2- Live a good "full" life.
This would mean that while I wouldn't focus entirely on myself, I would still do the things that God tells me to do, go to church, be in church ministry, love my family, work hard, serve others (when it was convenient for me).Be comfortable, don't take risks, be "smart" with our money, raise our children, send them to college, become a grandparent, retire.
- While this category for me is "good" deep down in my heart I know that in the end, if this is what encompassed my "dot" for me, it wouldn't be enough. This is the easiest, safest choice.
Category # 3- Live life with the all encompassing focus on the cross and allow "my life and death to show the worth and wonder of Jesus" (John Piper)
To... "go all out" for Christ. But for ME how does that look?? What does that SPECIFICALLY mean for my life path? When I look back on my life and see that God put me on this earth for "such a time as this" what am I going to do for THIS time. I know that this "sold out for Christ" category will look different for everyone b/c God has a different plan and direction for everyone. But I think that God is beginning to reveal to Chris and I more about the part of His heart that He wants us specifically as a family to have and its for orphans.
Do you ever have those moments in life where you think, Is my life making a difference? Is it counting for the cross? When I die, will I look back on my life and see that I used it fully for the glory of God? It is a shattering fear to me to think that I could possibly "waste" my life. I'm a vapor, a mist, a dot . That is how long my life is in light of eternity... a dot. What will I do with this dot?
Do you ever watch the show "Extreme Home-Makeover" and are shocked by what some of these people have done with their lives and despite the circumstances that surround them they still give all of themselves for others???
I'm reading the book "Don't waste your Life" by John Piper and I can only get through one page without having to stop, re-read it, and mark the page profusely finding gold nuggets of truth. It inspires me to live this life for the now, for such a time as this. Even as Christians I think that we can so easily become distracted with what a "good Christian life/walk" can mean. On the way home from a retreat this fall the Lord spoke to my heart about this "dot" of mine. I found that I could let it fall into three categories.
Category # 1- Life life only for Me
This would mean that I would throw everything to the wind, do what I wanted to do, spend my time, money, energy, love on things that are carnal and selfish. Things that will fade and disappear when I die. Spend my energy on "getting ahead" financially and physically.
-This dream seems obviously sinful and not a good option. Any Christian would know not to choose this life.
Category # 2- Live a good "full" life.
This would mean that while I wouldn't focus entirely on myself, I would still do the things that God tells me to do, go to church, be in church ministry, love my family, work hard, serve others (when it was convenient for me).Be comfortable, don't take risks, be "smart" with our money, raise our children, send them to college, become a grandparent, retire.
- While this category for me is "good" deep down in my heart I know that in the end, if this is what encompassed my "dot" for me, it wouldn't be enough. This is the easiest, safest choice.
Category # 3- Live life with the all encompassing focus on the cross and allow "my life and death to show the worth and wonder of Jesus" (John Piper)
To... "go all out" for Christ. But for ME how does that look?? What does that SPECIFICALLY mean for my life path? When I look back on my life and see that God put me on this earth for "such a time as this" what am I going to do for THIS time. I know that this "sold out for Christ" category will look different for everyone b/c God has a different plan and direction for everyone. But I think that God is beginning to reveal to Chris and I more about the part of His heart that He wants us specifically as a family to have and its for orphans.
So my (drumroll please) " complete dot/don't waste your life/extreme home-makeover life" would be opening my heart and home and adopting many many more children, making them apart of my family because that's what Christ did for me. Is it costly? YES! Will there be many tears? YES! Will it be opening myself up to possible pain and disappointment? YES!.... But will there be joy? YES! will there be peace? YES! and will God be glorified and my life not wasted, I pray, YES! YES! YES!
What about you? What would your complete dot/don't waste your life/extreme home-makeover life" look like?
